Ukraine's Defense Minister resigned

Ukrainian Defense Minister Valeriy Heletey has resigned from his post, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has accepted the resignation.

A statement on Ukraine's presidential website on October 12 said Poroshenko felt it was time to change "the defense leadership of the country."

It added that the president will "submit a nomination" for a new defense minister to parliament on October 13 and that he expected a vote on the nominee to take place the next day.

Heletey, who was appointed by Poroshenko in July, received criticism in recent weeks for the deaths of about 100 Ukrainian forces in the eastern city of Ilovaisk, who were encircled by pro-Russian separatists and reportedly supported by Russian forces.

Protesters at the Defense Ministry building in Kyiv in late August also demanded Heletey be sacked.

The website statement said Poroshenko had also formed an Intelligence Committee that would be chaired by Ihor Smeshko.